The scandal is compounded by obscene labor agreements that allow LIRR employees to retire with a pension at age 50, so they’ll be collecting those disability payments for a loooong time. There is also some crazy rule, according to the Times, that allows LIRR workers to collect 4 days of pay for 1 day of work, which resulted in 8 senior train engineers earning between $215,000 and $277,000 in 2006.

The Times article also includes this tidbit for its many readers who apparently haven’t heard that there is no free lunch: “While the federal government pays disability claims, a significant burden falls to taxpayers.”

So you mean when the government acts like Santa Claus, it’s really us taxpayers who are footing the bill? Do our Congressmen know about this?